I can’t not answer 34/43 questions, but really it’s just semantics now. Sub is the new base defense and has been for at least the past four seasons.
So what we’re talking about is that 30% of the snaps. The traditional 3-4 we saw 2002ish-2008ish is essentially dead except for specialty matchups when the Pats really just want to stop the run.
The problem with it? All three linemen are essentially just being asked to hold their ground while the linebackers make all the plays. There are too many athletes and the quarterbacks are too good now to have three players who aren’t getting pressure nor making plays in space.
At least with Wilfork, the Pats’ 4-3 was almost more of a 2-5 version of this in 2011-2013, although usually only one of the defensive linemen (Wilfork) would two-gap.
Will they have three guys with their hands in the dirt now? Sure, but that doesn’t mean it’s that old 3-4 defense and likely at least one or two of those defensive linemen will be playing only one gap. In the old 3-4, they all would’ve been playing two.
Now it’s a mix and match defense and the majority they’re in a 4-2-5 nickel.